Give exercise hoops a twirl

Truth is, when I planned this review of fitness hoops and attended a 90-minute hooping class in Santa Monica last Sunday, I did not know that hooping had become a giant fitness trend and that Marisa Tomei used it to get in shape for her role as a stripper in the Oscar-nominated film "The Wrestler." But I can tell you that it is a smile-inducing, easy-yet-challenging, sweat-drenching, skill-building core workout for an uncoordinated male, and that when I woke up Monday morning I swear my gut had shrunk by an inch or two. And having seen "The Wrestler," I can also tell you that I recommend the products below to every woman in the universe.

Likes: Great spin, balance and whip off the hip. At 1 1/2 pounds, it is within the ideal weight range for fast adult hooping. (Note: More than 2 pounds is said to slow speeds.) I like the way it digs into your skin as it circumnavigates your midsection -- part massage, part fat zapper.

Hoopnotica Fitness TravelHoop: Large (44-inch-diameter) take-apart hoop that breaks down into six 4-ounce, 23 1/2 -inch-long sections for easy packing or storage.

Likes: Great spin characteristics. Simple, no-tools, male-female snap-in assembly. Feels solid -- indistinguishable from a one-piece hoop. The soft tape makes it comfortable for your body, and it's the quietest of the bunch when hitting the floor. Can be used as a five-section, 37-inch hoop for kids. Weighs 1 1/2 pounds.

Dislikes: Though convenient, the tiny, quarter-inch pushpins that disengage the sections tend to hurt your thumb as you push. Eventually, I used a coin to push them.

Likes: I felt like a magician as I twisted it into a figure-8 and folded it over into a double loop. At 2 pounds (a third heavier than the others), it seemed to deliver a tougher workout, without giving up speed. You get this one going, it practically gives you a deep-tissue massage.

Dislikes: None -- although it may not pack as easily as the Hoopnotica in some luggage.

The Original Hula Hoop by Wham-O: Smaller-sized hoops (maximum 36-inch-diameter) for kids.

Likes: Similar core-shaking workout as that of the adult hoops. In fact, even more effort is required to maintain the momentum of the 36-incher's thin, featherweight (8-ounce) bulk. You can't beat the price -- or the history. Although hoops were used in ancient Greece, Wham-O trademarked the name Hula Hoop and sold 100 million of them at $1.98 each in 1958. A little ball inside makes a banging/swishing noise as you spin it.

Dislikes: Not as fun as the adult hoops. Too much work. And the noise gets irritating fast.

Canyon Weighted Hula Hoop: Adjustable-weight, travel-friendly hoop that can be filled with water for a total weight of 4 pounds.

Likes: Best versatility of the bunch. The 42-inch-diameter, 2-pound hoop comes apart in one spot with a built-in male-female connector, coils down to 22 inches for travel, and can be filled with up to four cups of water -- 2 extra pounds. You can use a couple of layers of duct tape or tape supplied by Canyon to secure the closure. Although warned that heavy hoops are slow, I found that true only for the initial start; quickly it was whizzing around me like a helicopter blade; I thought I was going to levitate. Your abs and back definitely feel the extra weight; if the Infinity is a deep-tissue massage, this is Rolfing and chiropractic all rolled into one. That isn't sweat you feel; it's your fat cells crying. But at this price, your wallet won't.